“...
These developments are gradually improving the integrity of our national life. Two weeks ago, Nigeria had its first general election intended to pass power from one elected government to another. While the election did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves, it did reveal that for citizens, the fight against corruption was a top priority “right up there with food, health care and education”. In other words, Nigerians made the same connection between runaway corruption and human suffering that Wolfowitz rightly does.
Corruption is the greatest challenge to progress across much of the developing world, and as we in Nigeria know from bitter experience, this is particularly so in Africa.
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“...
And he has matched words with deeds through initiatives to promote greater international cooperation with poor countries, especially regarding the recovery of assets from pilfered resources. Effective efforts at fighting corruption cannot stop at our borders when up to 80 per cent of the “grand corruption” perpetrated in Africa is dependent on international mechanisms that facilitate money laundering.
Wolfowitz has made a praiseworthy effort to halt the illicit drain of money from the coffers of poor countries. Just this simple step “denying a haven for money stolen from a poor country” addresses more than half the problem of corruption in Africa.
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•Nuhu Ribadu is the chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the piece was first published in the New York Times
Very good points - THIS should be publicized, over and over.